From Coach Jason Webster: Following on today's classes, especially the segments concerning the trajectory of the straight (that is, non-clinch) knee I'm adding this vid for your enjoyment and edification. This match up between Langsuan Panyuthapum and Pongsiri "Rambo" Ruamrudee became an instant classic, so much so that the pair returned to the ring (in their late 40s...circa 2013) due to audience demand.  Langsuan remains one of the best all - around fighters who was, nonetheless, a knee specialist. Fighting out of the Osotsopha camp, Langsuan would go on to become a dominant champion. His opponent Rambo was at the time sort of a people's champion; lacking the raw athleticism of his contemporaries, Rambo won fights, and the crowd, with his never-say-die, blood-and-guts style.

You may become mesmerized early by this fight's pace...for those of you to have dared enter the squared circle will be delighted with and awed at the superhuman pace. As a complement to what I shared in class, notice first Langsuan's continual forward motion. While you will see him reverse to pull Rambo in for a sharp knee, mostly he is surging forward.

Secondly, and most salient viz our class, pay attention to the angle and trajectory of his plentiful straight knees. (Incidentally also take notice of the fluidity of ranges, all of which feature his pistoning knees. One thing that might escape scrutiny, if it weren't for the overpowering number of these type of knees thrown, is the way Langsuan is able to deliver those beautiful knees straight down the pipe while still remaining engaged and or entwined with Rambo's furious fists an arms. How does he do it? Simple. By using that hollow body to both make room and keep contact. Enjoy.

One other side note that might interest Muay Thai aficionados: The fighter who would take the ring name of "Rambah" (also known as Somdet M16) fighting out of Pattaya did so as a play on words (so to speak). The term "bah" in Thai is a slang curse word. Sort of indicating that he was "the crazy Rambo".

From Coach Jason Webster: Here is a fight that displays some of the elements of Saturday's Muay Thai clinch class where we worked on using the hands and arms to manipulate your opponent's position. Both of these fighters were elite class and had been stadium champions. Oley (red), who passed away recently, had an inimitable style with complex footwork and a disarmingly subtle laid back presence. Chamuakpet was a fierce fighter who, in addition to his stadium standing(s), beat the bejabbers out of a world champ American kickboxer on the Muay Thai show that featured the epic battle between Changpuek Kiatsongrit and Rick Roufus (if you don't know what I'm referencing then it's the cone of shame and 10k kicks for you...).

Watch both fighters mix their punches and clinch with the straight arm tactic of keeping distance and off-balancing their opponent. Notice too how high the arm is kept and its dynamic interplay between offensive pressuring and providing a defensive cover for the opponent's strikes.

* Addendum from Coach Elton Wells: For anyone not familiar with Kiatsongrit vs Roufus, after you finish your 10K kicks check out this excellent Lawrence Kenshin video about it.

From Coach Jason Webster: Here is a great fight (ca Golden Age of Muay Thai) that is a great example of what we talked about in Saturday's clinch class. To wit, Rajasak in the red corner was a very feared fighter who fought almost exclusively with knees.  Watch him continually "hollow out" his shoulders and chest, move his hips back to knee. Also notice his intense forward pressure that continually expands and contracts "elastically" even while maintaining tight contact with his opponent.

See this link for a good demonstration of how Thai technical sparring is done. Training like this happening in class tonight.

Good round from a Rajadamnern fight courtesy of Muayties, good action and a lot of low kicks.

Jack Slack wrote a good article regarding Carlos Condit's use of standing elbow combinations vs Thiago Alves last weekend. Check it out as well as the highlight video below and in particular look for examples of the elbow combinations we worked in class last night.

This week we worked on developing a strong kick.  Check out these highlights from Aldo vs Faber, Aldo's kick is very strong and he employs it frequently.  You can see some of the mechanics that we worked on, with impressive results.

Tonight we worked on sweeps and throws from clinch. Here's a video from Muay Thai Guy demonstrating one of the sweeps we drilled tonight.

Clinch work in class tonight.  Here's a good video from Sinbi Muay Thai in Thailand with Saenchai clinching with Pot, one of their trainers.  Saenchai is P4P one of the best fighters in the world, but Pot is able to control him at close range with excellent clinch technique and flow.

Great K1 kickboxing fight between Mike Zambidis and Chahid Oulad El Hadj.  All out back and forth action, explosive punching from Zambidis, and both men have to get off the canvas to finish the fight.  We will be looking at some sequences from this fight in class this week.

As we like to say, "Clinch happens." Here's an interesting perspective from Muay Thai Guy about his evolving outlook on clinch work. In the local Muay Thai smokers and events we see a very high % of fights are in clinch range, which is why we spend a good amount of time on this a couple of times a week.

“Embracing” The Thai Clinch: Embarrassment & Epiphanies Inside the Clinch

Nice video analysis by Tristar coach Firas Zahabi on how Yodsanklai deals with a larger opponent in the clinch via an underhook + reverse cross face and inside bicep control position.

Two years ago today Muay Thai legend Ramon Dekkers passed away.  In honor of his memory check out this highlight tribute.

John Wayne Parr, an Australian Muay Thai fighter who has won multiple world titles, recently appeared on the Joe Rogan podcast.  This was a great discussion of Muay Thai and Thai culture, well worth a listen.

In tonight's Muay Thai class we worked mechanics of the rear leg kick, and setting it up off of a lead hook to the body.  Check out this highlight of Ernesto Hoost for several examples of this in action.

In a couple of recent classes we've worked trapping a hand to setup a power punch or elbow.  Check out this clip of Tyrone Spong setting up a KO straight right hand by first trapping the defending hand.  (Fast-forward to 4:01, or go to this link.)

Another good video from Lawrence Kenshin Striking Breakdowns highlighting knees, this time from Simon Marcus.

Last week we worked a lot of knees in class. Check out this tribute from Lawrence Kenshin Striking Breakdowns on Dieselnoi, a great Muay Thai fighter who had a devastating knee attack.

Nice highlight of Samkor Kiatmontep exemplifying an important facet of the Muay Thai kick: intent.

Cool article posted recently by Muay Thai Analyst. The "good" section looks at the kicks of Yodsaklai, Saenchai, Samkor, and Apidej. On a side note, last week we discussed in class how the pull can be used to evade a kick as well as a jab, two of the Saenchai clips demonstrate this.

Round Kicks: The Good, The Bad, and the F'Ugly